November 1701 English general election

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November 1701 English general election
Flag of England.svg
  Jan 1701 November – December 1701 1702  

All 513 seats in the House of Commons
257 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond party
 
Portrait of John Somers, Baron Somers.jpg
1stEarlOfHalifax.jpg
Gibson, Edward Russell.jpg
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Captain-General of the English forces and Master-General of the Ordnance, 1702 (c), attributed to Michael Dahl 91996.jpg
Sidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of Godolphin by Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt (2).jpg
Leader Whig Junto

(Baron Somers, Charles Montagu, Thomas Wharton)

Duke of Marlborough
Earl of Godolphin
Party Whig Tory
Seats won248240
Seat changeIncrease2.svg29Decrease2.svg9

The English general election, which began in November 1701, produced substantial gains for the Whigs, who enthusiastically supported the war with France. The Tories had been criticised in the press for their ambivalence towards the war, and public opinion had turned against them; they consequently lost ground as a result of the election. Ninety-one constituencies, 34% of the total in England and Wales, were contested.

Contents

English Parliament of General Election 1701 Englishbis 1701.svg
English Parliament of General Election 1701

Summary of the constituencies

See 1796 British general election for details. The constituencies used in England and Wales were the same throughout the period. In 1707 alone the 45 Scottish members were not elected from the constituencies, but were returned by co-option of a part of the membership of the last Parliament of Scotland elected before the Union.

Party strengths are an approximation, with many MPs' allegiances being unknown.

See also

References